Solid-State Chemistry

Types of Solids

Submitted to: Presentation By:

Dr. A. Elangovan A. Tharik Anwar (22PCH10)
Associate Professor I M. Sc. Chemistry
Thiagarajar College Thiagarajar College
SOLID STATE
Solid-state is nothing but one of the states of matter.
Solids generally exhibit certain characteristics that set
them apart from liquids and gases.

• Definite shape
• Definite volume
• Highly incompressible
• Rigid
• Constituent particles held closely by strong
intermolecular forces
• Fixed position of constituents
Solids are broadly classified into two
types
AMORPHOUS SOLIDS
(Amorphous = no form)
 AMORPHOUS SOLIDS
An amorphous solid is a substance whose
constituent particles do not possess a regular
orderly arrangement.
 AMORPHOUS SOLIDS
An amorphous solids do not possess long range
regularity, in some cases they may possess small
regions of orderly arrangement.

• In short range order,the portions

having patterns are scattered over the
solid in a disordered manner.

• Amorphous substances are also,

sometimes, referred to as super
cooled liquids(pseudo solids) because
they posses disorderly arrangement
like liquids.

•
Solids having short range order are
called Amorphous solids.
 AMORPHOUS SOLIDS
An amorphous substances are said to be isotropic
because they exhibit the same value of any property
in all directions.

• This is because of the irregular

arrangement of atoms in all directions.

• Thus refractive index, thermal and

electrical conductivities, coefficient of
thermal expansion in amorphous solids are
independent of the direction along which
they are measured.
 AMORPHOUS SOLIDS
An amorphous solid does not possess a sharp
melting point. It undergoes liquefication over a broad
range of temperature.

• It melts over a certain range

of temperature
 AMORPHOUS SOLIDS
An amorphous solids undergo irregular cleavage
when cut.
 AMORPHOUS SOLIDS
Examples :
glass, plastics, rubber, starch, and proteins.
 AMORPHOUS SOLIDS
Uses :
• Amorphous solids such as glass and plastics are very important materials
and are widely used in construction, house ware, laboratory ware etc.

Amorphous silica is likely to be the best material for converting sunlight

•
into electricity (photovoltaic).

Another well known amorphous solid is rubber which is used in making

•
tyres shoes soles etc.
CRYSTALLINE
SOLIDS
 CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS
A crystalline solid is a substance whose
constituent particles possess regular orderly
arrangement
 CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS
A crystalline solids possess long range regularity,
definite & regular arrangement of the constituent
particles in space.

• In long range order,the portions

having patterns are scattered over the
solid in a ordered manner.

• Crystalline substances are also,

sometimes, referred to as true solids
because they posses orderly
arrangement.

• Solids having long range order are

called Crystalline solids.
 CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS
Crystalline substances are anisotropic and the
magnitude of the physical property varies with
directions.

• Anisotropy means the crystalline solid

show different directions.

•
This arises because, in different
directions, particles are arranged in a
different manner.
 CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS

A Crystalline solid possess a sharp melting point.

• It melts at a fixed
temperature.
 CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS
A Crystalline solids undergo a cleavage when cut.
 CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS
Examples :
NaCl, Cu metal, Diamond, Graphite & Solid CO2
 Comparision between
Amorphous & Crystalline Solids
Classification of Crystalline Solids based
on Different Binding Forces
Crystalline solids can be classified into different categories
depending upon the type of constituent particles and the
nature of attractive forces operating between them.
 Molecular Solids
In these solids, the constituent particles which
pack up together are molecules of the
substance.
 Molecular Solids

• In case of non – polar molecules, the attractive forces operating

between the molecules are Vander Waal forces (also called
dispersion forces).

• The example of such solids are : dry ice (Solid CO2) ,H2 etc...
 Molecular Solids

• In case of polar molecules, the attractive forces operating

between the molecules in solid state are dipole – dipole
forces.

• The examples of such solids are : solid SO2, solid HCl.

 Molecular Solids

• In some solids with polar molecules, the interparticle forces

are hydrogen bonds.
• The examples of such solids are ice; solid hydrogen fluoride
(HF); solid ammonia, etc.
 Molecular Solids
Characteristics
• They are generally soft.
• Their melting points are low to moderately high.

• The melting points of solids with non – polar molecules are

relatively low whereas solids with polar molecules have
moderately high melting points.

• They are generally bad conductors of heat and electricity.

• They have generally low density.

 Molecular Solids
• Comparison
Ionic Solids
• In ionic solids, the constituent particles are ions of opposite
charges.

• Each ion is surrounded by a definite number of ions of

opposite charge which held together by strong electrostatic
force of attraction (i.e., ionic bonds)

• The number of ions that surround a particular ion of opposite

charge its called co – ordination number of the ion.

The examples of such solids are sodium chloride (NaCl) ;

• ceasium chloride (CsCl), zinc sulphide (ZnS), calcium

fluoride, etc.
Ionic Solids
• NaCl (AB type)
In sodium chloride crystal each sodium ion is surrounded by six chloride ions
& each chloride ion is surrounded by six sodium ions.The coordination of
the compound is 6:6.

• CaF2 (AB2 type)

In calcium fluoride crystal each Ca++ ion is surrounded by eight fluoride
ions and each F- ion is surrounded by four Calcium ions.The coordination of
the compound is 8:4.
Ionic Solids
Characteristics
• They are hard, brittle and have low volatility.

• They have high melting points.

• they become good conductors of electricity in molten state or in

They are poor conductors of electricity in solid state, however

dissolved state.

• They are generally soluble in polar solvents like water.

Covalent Solids
• In these types of solids the constituent particles are
atoms of same or different elements connected to
each other by covalent bond network.

These solidsType 1 : Giant

are also calledmolecules
network solids because

• the covalent bonds extend in three dimensions

forming a giant interlocking structure.
For example, in diamond only carbon atoms
constitute the covalent network while carborundum

• covalent bond network is constituted by silicon and

carbon atoms. Obviously, the interparticle forces
operating in these solids are covalent bonds.
Some examples of covalent solids are :
Diamond, silicon carbide, aluminium nitrite etc.

•
Covalent Solids
Type 2 : Layers

• Those which consists of separate layers.

Examples of covalent crystals containing separate
layers are Graphite, CdI2, CdCl2, BN etc...

Characteristics
• They are very hard. Diamond is the hardest
naturally occurring substance.

• They have very high melting points.

• They are poor conductors of heat and electricity.

They have high heats of fusion.

•
 Metallic Solids
• In these type of solids, the constituent particles are metal atoms.

• The interparticle forces in these solids are metallic bonds.

• In the metallic crystals the metal atoms occupy the fixed positions but
their valence electrons are mobile.

• The close packed assembly of metal kernels (part of metal atom without
valence electrons) remain immersed in the sea of mobile valence
electrons.

• The attractive force between the kernels and mobile valence electrons is
termed as metallic bond.
 Metallic Solids
Structure of
Metallic
Crystals
Most of the metals
belonging to s-
block and
d-block elements
 Metallic Solids
Characteristics
• They generally range from soft to very hard.

• They are malleable and ductile.

• They are good conductors of heat and electricity.

• They possess bright lustre.

• They have high melting and boiling points.

• They have moderate heats of fusion.

• Examples : all metallic elements for eg., Cu, Fe, Ag, Au etc...
Classification of Solids on the Basis
of Binding Forces
Classification of Solids on the Basis
of Binding Forces
 Acknowledgement
Some images, animations and material have been
taken from the following sources :
Puri - sharma -pathania : principles of physical
chemistry,
Arun Bahl - B.S.Bahl - G. D. Tuli : Essential of
physical chemistry,
R. D. Madan : modern inorganic chemistry,
Solid State - https://t.me/c/1446307189/103,
https://www.askiitians.com/iit-jee-solid-state/classi
fication-of-solids/